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Monday, March 31, 2014

It seems there are many books based on or influenced by Myths and Mythological Beings.

There are so many different Mythology and Mythological Beings recorded. Some are very popular and well known, others not so much. There are many similar beings, yet different depending on the culture it’s based in. The definition of Myth covers about anything in the Urban Fantasy/Fantasy realm to me.I’ve invited authors to share briefly the Mythological being or Myth that influenced their character(s) or story, or what their character(s) are based on influencing their books. Hosting here, one author and being or myth per week.

This week we have:

Fantasy author Freya Robertson

Talking of the Firebird.

Kia ora and nice to meet you all!

I’m here to talk about my epic fantasy Sunstone, Book 2 of The Elemental Wars.

In Book 1, Heartwood, I talked on this blog about some of the myths behind the series, including that of King Arthur. The story isn’t about this mythical king, but it does feature some Arthurian themes like the link between the land and its people, and the age-old topic of resurrection and rebirth. Sunstone very much continues with these themes and elaborates on them.

Heartwood was about the element of earth and its battle against the Darkwater Lords or water elementals. Sunstone is about the element of fire. Originally, my plan was to make the king of the Incendi fire elementals a salamander, or fire lizard. This is because the land is called Anguis, which is Latin for dragon, and if you look closely at the map of Anguis in Heartwood, you may be able to see the way the mountains are in a vague dragon shape, with the Snout Range at the top, the Forest of Wings to the side and the Spina Mountains running down the middle. Making the sleeping king beneath the mountains a dragon-related species therefore made sense.

However, when I came to write the story, the themes of death, resurrection and rebirth became so prominent that I realised Pyra, the king, couldn’t be anything but a bird. In Greek mythology, the firebird or phoenix is a bird associated with the sun that is cyclically regenerated or reborn, rising from the ashes of its predecessor. The phoenix was later adopted by a symbol in early Christianity because of its association with resurrection.

The topic of rebirth is a common one in religions because of the way we observe how nature grows in spring, matures in summer, ages in autumn and dies in winter, only to begin the whole cycle again the following spring. This theme of birth, death and rebirth is also mirrored in the rising and setting of the sun and how the moon waxes, grows full and wanes again.

Sunstone is all about the circle of birth, death and rebirth. Set in three different timelines—22 years after Heartwood, five hundred years after that and a thousand years later—the plots interweave and culminate in the Apex, a fixed point in time during which the story concludes, with each timeline having a direct effect on the other. The firebird king’s power grows throughout the story, but everything goes in cycles, and even though he rises from the ashes of the Arbor or holy tree, so the wheel of time turns and the element of earth begins its ascension once again.

If you like stories about nature religions and about adventures through time as well as through vast lands, then maybe Sunstone is for you.

Freya

Author Bio:
Freya is a lifelong fan of science fiction and fantasy, as well as a dedicated gamer. She has a deep and abiding fascination for the history and archaeology of the middle ages and spent many hours as a teenager writing out notecards detailing the battles of the Wars of the Roses, or moping around museums looking at ancient skeletons, bits of rusted iron and broken pots.

She has published over twenty romance novels under other pseudonyms and won prizes in fifteen short story and poetry competitions.

Freya lives in the glorious country of New Zealand Aotearoa, where the countryside was made to inspire fantasy writers and filmmakers, and where they brew the best coffee in the world.

Sunday, March 30, 2014

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer ~ It's a chance to share news ~ A post to recap the past week on your blog, showcase books and things we have received and share new about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead.

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I think it was a good week. Not much to share though. Barnes & Nobles and Amazon sent their credits out in the US now that the ebook case with a few publishers has been finalized. I got a small credit as I'm more of a print kinda girl than ebooks. But with the credit at Barnes & Noble I did purchase an ebook.

I finished the current WIP I was working on. It's a bit short of the total words I wanted, but it will get there when I go back through it. For now, it's shelved for a few months, this way I get to forget about it and have a fresh set of eyes when reading for revisions. Now, I'm back to Jayda's story and trying to make something of it. But...at this point (and I'm only 3500 words in) I don't know if I like the story anymore. *sigh* I don't know anymore. The idea is to get through some of it to send to a writer friend. I'm scared to send anything to anyone, and I need to get away from that. I need to send to someone and talk about it to make the story stronger, the characters deeper, the world more vibrant...and to fill those gaping holes I'm finding.

I do have several reviews to write - two books and 3 podcast stories. Hmm, this week coming is looking short on reading time.

What's Happening in Books:

Current Read:
This week is going to be revisions for me and beta reading for a friend. If I get through a good bit, I plan on starting The Lascar's Dagger by Glenda Larke.

This one is out of print. But I found a copy through Amazon and the additional sellers listed. After listening to
Morevi: The Chronicles of Rafe and Askana, I was curious for more.Legacy of Morevi by Tee MorrisGoodreads Synopsis:The adventures of Naruihm's warrior-queen and England's privateer captain begin once again in Legacy of Morevi, the highly-anticipated sequel to the award-nominated debut work of Tee Morris and Lisa Lee.

Life in Morevi is hardly a "happily ever after" for privateer captain Rafe Rafton. As he deals with the animosity from the Ladies of the Blood and from his own daughter, Ashtari, his only ally is Morevi's First Queen, Askana Moldarin. But soon, the peace they find with each other is shattered in a single night. Now, Morevi faces a threat far greater than that of political opponents or frontier rivals. As their realm stands on the brink of a war they cannot win, Askana and Rafe must risk another Riftcrossing while sending their daughter, the future Second Queen of Morevi, into hiding.

Confessions of a Freelance Penmonkey by Chuck WendigGoodreads Synopsis:“No seriously, he’s not f**king around, you really don’t want to be a writer. But if you’re mad enough to decide that you do, Wendig will be your gonzo-esque guide, from the technical advice about structure, query letters and submissions, to dealing with agents and editors and how to make your characters do as they’re damn well told, he’s full of good advice. Like a cursing, booze-soaked Virgil to your Dante, let him show you around.Buy this book, your editor will thank you.”-- Jenni Hill, Editor, Solaris Books

Want to become a novelist? A screenwriter? An all-around freelance penmonkey? Don’t know the difference between beats, scenes, sequences and acts? Not sure where to begin your edit, or how to query an agent, or what liquor goes best with the madness of being a writer? Then CONFESSIONS OF A FREELANCE PENMONKEY is all yours.

CONFESSIONS is a collection of 50+ essays on the subject of writing and the writing life. It covers a wide array of subjects, from technical advice to discussions of publishing versus self-publishing to what to do if you wake up pantsless and ink-stained in the basement of a Tijuana bookstore.

Equal parts hilarious, insane, profane, and profound, CONFESSIONS will take you through the many trials and tribulations of the penmonkey’s moonbat existence, offering advice every step of the way.

Features popular TERRIBLEMINDS essays:

…“Beware of Writer”…“Drop That Pen, Grab A Hammer: Building The Writer’s Platform”…”Exposing Yourself: Do You Write For Free?”…“No, Seriously, I’m Not F**king Around, You Really Don’t Want To Be A Writer”…“The Penmonkey’s Paean”… “Why Your Novel Won’t Get Published”…“Why You Won’t Finish That Novel”And more!

(TERRIBLEMINDS has been named one of the top 101 websites for writers by WRITER’S DIGEST magazine!)

Free Ebooks:

On Basilisk Station by David WeberGoodreads Synopsis:Honor Harrington in trouble: Having made him look the fool, she's been exiled to Basilisk Station in disgrace and set up for ruin by a superior who hates her. Her demoralized crew blames her for their ship's humiliating posting to an out-of-the-way picket station. The aborigines of the system's only habitable planet are smoking homicide-inducing hallucinogens. Parliament isn't sure it wants to keep the place; the major local industry is smuggling, the merchant cartels want her head; the star-conquering, so-called "Republic" of Haven is Up to Something; and Honor Harrington has a single, over-age light cruiser with an armament that doesn't work to police the entire star system. But the people out to get her have made one mistake. They've made her mad!

The Honor of the Queen by David WeberGoodreads Synopsis:It's hard to give peace a chance when the other side regards conquest as the only option and a sneak attack as the best means to that end. That's why the Kingdom of Manticore needs allies against the Republic of Haven—and the planet Grayson is strategically situated to make a very good ally indeed. But Her Majesty’s Foreign Office overlooked a “minor cultural difference” when they chose Honor Harrington to carry the flag: women on the planet of Grayson are without rank or rights and Honor’s mere presence is an intolerable affront to every male on the planet.

At first Honor doesn’t take it personally; where she comes from gender discrimination is barely a historical memory, right up there in significance with fear of the left-handed. But in time such treatment becomes taxing and she makes plans to withdraw until Grayson’s fratricidal sister planet attacks without warning. Now, Honor must stay and prevail, not just for her honor, but for her sovereign’s, for the honor of the Queen.

The year is 1868...IN THE SIERRA NEVADA, during the expansion of the Central Pacific Railroad, Nina Weaver and her pa, Lincoln, trundle into Coburn Station with a wagonful of goods they're looking to barter. Of all the rotten luck, their world—and the future of the American West—is forever changed when a sudden swarm of zombies invades town on the hunt for some human-sized vittles.

THOSE POOR, POOR BASTARDS is the first volume in the all-new Old Western Action-Horror series, "Dead West."

Free Audio Books/Stories:

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Reviews to Come:

Quarter Share by Nathan Lowell - a podcast reading of the book

Half Share by Nathan Lowell - a podcast reading of the book

Full Share by Nathan Lowell - a podcast reading of the bookDouble Share by Nathan Lowell - a podcast reading of the book

Captain's Share by Nathan Lowell - a podcast reading of the book

Owners Share by Nathan Lowell - a podcast reading of the book

Ravenwood by Nathan Lowell - a podcast reading of the book

Working for the Devil by Lilith SaintcrowMarco and The Red Granny by Mur Lafferty (in audiobook while at work)

Heaven by Mur Lafferty (in audiobook while at work)

Hell by Mur Lafferty (in audiobook while at work)Earth by Mur Lafferty (in audiobook while at work)Wasteland by Mur Lafferty (in audiobook while at work)

War by Mur Lafferty (in audiobook while at work)

Earth Girls Are Difficult by Frances Pauli (in audiobook while at work)

Tales of the Children by P.G. Holyfield (in audiobook while at work) An Anthology collection in the setting of Land of Caern.

The Secret World Chronicle: Invasion by Mercedes Lackey & Steve Libbey (in audiobook while at work)

The Secret World Chronicle: The Hunt by Mercedes Lackey & Steve Libbey (in audiobook while at work)

Recommendation: WOW! A legend of magic within those of the first born and a story of mystery to find the one who eludes all.

Synopsis:
From the writer of Books of the Order and the co-author of the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences comes a new historical fantasy about two lovers separated by magic and circumstance. Never alone. Never apart. They are the Awakened, a unique breed of people in a remote corner of the world. Faith is one of these gifted carriers of the Seraphim; and in return of her unconditional love, her Seraphim grants her powers of incredible potential. But not all carriers embrace their blessing. Jack loathes being an Awakened. He never asked for it, his Seraphim keeping him alive even in spite of his desire to die. Not even a great war could rid him of this curse. Now a magician of incredible ability and a walking dead man must find a way to work together to save the Seraphim. Someone covets the power of the Awakened, and will not stop until that power belongs to him.

First Sentence:
Sergeant Jack Cunningham sat in the mud at the bottom of the trench and knew for certain his death was a mere five feet away.

My Thoughts and Summary:
Not only does New Zealands residents have to worry about fighting the war over seas for England but also the war in their own lands - the loss of their own protectors, the seraphim and their hosts. Three people are drawn together when what appears as a serial killer first with the many Awakened soldiers that are caught off guard in their home land, thrilled to be home, then takes children, who are first children and could host seraph. Faith goes in search of her missing cousin. Lily has lost her mother, and the name of her seraph before completely awakening. Jack, home from the war where his seraph awakened, struggles with the curse he lives with and the isolation he feels from the loss of his loved ones. All three are drawn together over years as they are drawn for personal reasons to the troubles and murders.

Wow. Philippa Ballantine has awakened a rare legend in the vibrant world of New Zealand. Drawing to the forefront a seraphim and magic, in first generations born into the land, that many Urban Fantasy fans will fall for. A serial killer is on the lose and seraphim and their hosts are not safe. Fresh and traces of old blended together for our enjoyment.

Seraphim are the magic in the oldest child of a New Zealand child. They always want to please their hosts so the temptation of the power they offer is easily accessed, and can be dangerous with feeling the power they have. Many feel the seraph are a curse as usually the hosts don't live to middle age, let alone old. The constant connection driving the host mad. Yet there are many who enjoy having the friend to never feel alone. The seraph awakened by severe pain and trauma to the host.

In the Prelude we meet Jack, three years prior to the story starting, while in the war in Turkey. We witness his awakening and how he has survived when so many are lost. I really like that we are introduced to the magics of being an Awakened from page one. Into the story we meet Lily and witness her awakening, and this is when the mystery takes off.

This story also brings to life the wars fought, for the country and personal. We are set us in a time that many loved ones are lost due to war, personal reasons with those lost at war, and the deadly fever that has spread through the land. So many battles to fight here. These all affect the characters and the world they are living in.

There was a mystery to the magic the seraph gave their host from early on. I was curious of it along with drawn into the lives of Faith, Jack, and Lily and those around them. I found I was hoping and wanting them all to meet up again, loving the time they spend together. There is chemistry between them each time they are together, bringing action and emotions to a heightening. I love them all for different reasons.

There are breaks in the story by years, but each section is a story of what has happened to bring us to a point in each characters lives. They are almost like short stories with arcs and endings, yet we know there is something not finished yet. In the end, we get our answers.

The story is set in New Zealand, an old yet new and exciting world. As much as it's described in all it's glory, it feels like home to me. The legend Philippa draws on is new and exciting. Pip briefly touches on a few dark topics. We are aware of it happening, and pull through it. Amazing talent with words on Pip's behalf for leaving the hints of what's happening without drawing us through the actual events.

I can't wait for more of this world and creation Philippa has brought to life for us.

I found this picture of Trinity College Library, and thought it would work for this meme with a little play with lighting and adding the words.

Let's talk about those books already on the shelves, yours or the stores.

I have a post for books I'm looking forward to coming out;

Looking Forward To...

But what about all those wonderful books that are ALREADY on the shelves.

Whether it be on your shelf waiting to be read or on the shelves in the stores waiting for you to give it a good home.

So, I thought I would share a book a week that is just waiting for me to travel through it's world.

Now... where do I start? Lets go by Published Date on the books...

This Week:

This is a novella story I have in ebook. I've had it for so long, I've forgot I had it and don't remember how I got it. That's terrible as I remember the story behind getting about all my books. It sounds like a lovely little story and the reviews from a few fellow bloggers are promising.

Goodreads Synopsis:Melinda Lightfoot gets into trouble for flitting in and out of fairy tales when Beauty leaves the story when Melinda trespassed into it. She must find Beauty or be charged with the ultimate crime--Fairy Tale Killer. If that's not bad enough the Beast tags along in search of his true love, and Melinda starts falling for the fairy tale prince.

I've heard back from a few bloggers that they would like to join in this meme post, so I'm adding a Linky for you to join in. Grab the picture above, and join in. All I ask, is if you can acknowledge my blog in the post so others know where to come back to.

Whether they are causing trouble or just getting into it, they've got what it takes to get the job done. Need a little bacon to domesticate a hell hound? Looking to seduce an Italian vampire? You need look no further. From vengeful goddesses to mythical tattooists, from train robbery to the local spelling bee, these women are well prepared and fully armed for adventure. They have the tools. They have the attitude. They're tough, tricky, and possibly just a teeny bit wicked.

My Thoughts and Summary:Overall thoughts:
I enjoyed listening to these short stories. On several of these stories I felt Frances turns short stories into a poetry feel with amazing word choices. I love the impact of each word to draw the images and short stories to a full size. The words grow the scene around us with each word. The image's come into focus from the center to around it.

Francesca, the narrator, does an amazing job of growing with the stories. Several of the stories I felt the narrator was the story. She seemed to take them on and her voice and accenting worked perfectly to grow the stories with what Frances had created in words.

Bad DogFirst Sentence:
The hellhounds were born in the witching hour under the dark of the moon.

Thoughts:
Hellhounds are born at the stroke of witching hour. Thirty-five seconds afterthe top of witching hour, she had another. He has a white spot on his head and he whined - that doesn't happen.

Hatach fought his way through life to age with his pack. He is different, and they don't let him forget it. He's not like all the other hellhounds, and they know it. Then one day a woman comes to his home that he guards to steal. She calls him a 'Bad Dog' and Hatach has a reaction to it.

This story will attract pet lovers. This is very short and through the hellhound, Hatach's, eyes. I found it cute and really liked it. There is a connection between the female and Hatach, and I felt it.

Idol GamesFirst Sentence:
Candice took her bearing from the slapping of the sea against stone.

Thoughts:
Candace is on her way, by sea, to a hidden cave with a bundle she can not get away from. For years beyond years she's cared for this bundle. Will this day be any different?

Now this one I liked. Really liked. There was a deeper feel to what Candace is doing, you feel it the further you go with the short story. I even found I was hoping for one turn out, but loved the true ending. The setting and creation of the long history with the perfect word choices is fantastic.

El EmperadorFirst Sentence:
Jessie squinted at the dusty corral and shook her head.

Thoughts:
Jessie needs a horse. A fast horse. She has a train to catch and the right horse to do the job. El Emperador performs for her and seems to be suitable to the task, though a tad shabby. Will he live up to his traders word?

This is another I think animal lovers will enjoy. I chuckled at the relationship between Jessie and El Emperador. I like the horses reaction to Jessie, but felt in the end I wanted more of their train chase.

This short was more about the connection between the horse and his new owner.

OfferingsFirst Sentence:
They fed her to the maze.

Thoughts:
She finds her way from her dark prison to the outside world. She finds herself in a maze and relics of a god at a temple. And learns of herself.

Wow. The phrasing and words used really made a strong feeling of the maze for me. This short sounded like a poetic short story. So beautiful by words and narrator. The narrator felt so comfortable in this story to me, that she brought it out more.

ForbiddenFirst Sentence:
Lorenzo pulled the black cloth tighter around his shoulders and closed his eyes.

Thoughts:
Lorenzo, a vampire of old, wants something more than blood tonight. He wants the days of old on the night of his birth. She searches out the same scent each year, for a taste.

LOL! I loved this story. The humor in it. Oh, the play on the new curious youth looking for love with a vampire, the want of fear for vampires, and more. I really enjoyed the twist to this story and his desire for the night.

The story made me curious, then laugh, curious again, and happy. Really a fun read.

Silent PartnerFirst Sentence:
"Charles!" His significant other's high-pitched voice drifted through the glass building at a volume that made the conservatory walls vibrate dangerouly.

Thoughts:
Charles is with his wife at the flower festival she does. He's to be the good husband that listens. Then he leaves to go to the restroom, and surprised by what he finds in the garden.

This seemed like a short vision quest for the husband, who loves his wife even if she is a bit of a...nag. It wasn't really my favorite of the selections, but worked for the husband and his quest to learn what he wants and is to his wife.

PricelessFirst Sentence:
Unan never meant to steal it - at least, not at first.

Thoughts:
Unan is cleaning her sword when she hears the two men, one fat and one a sorcerer, talking. The sorcerer is selling something to the fat man, and Unan knows a treasure when she hears about it. She has to have it! And once she does, the places she goes and her interpretation of what she sees is beyond her world.

Mmm, not sure if this one was for me. Okay and good, but I got a tad bored with it. I laughed at the speed dating moment though. You will recognize where Unan is when she walks through scenes of the world though.

PromisesFirst Sentence:
The frog had stars in its eyes.

Thoughts:
A princess is playing with her favorite treasure, a ball. She throws it to a frog and it falls into the Dark Well. Her favorite toy and it is gone. She wants it back! The frog talks to her and can help her get the ball back for a promise - to take him home with her, comfort him, feed him, and give him a kiss.

Now this I like! Twisted fairy tale and dark. I like, like. Wonderful end. I like the tale weaved here with the frog and the princess. This is my kind of tale. Honor and Deception both found in one place. Nicely done.

Monday, March 24, 2014

It seems there are many books based on or influenced by Myths and Mythological Beings.

There are so many different Mythology and Mythological Beings recorded. Some are very popular and well known, others not so much. There are many similar beings, yet different depending on the culture it’s based in. The definition of Myth covers about anything in the Urban Fantasy/Fantasy realm to me.I’ve invited authors to share briefly the Mythological being or Myth that influenced their character(s) or story, or what their character(s) are based on influencing their books. Hosting here, one author and being or myth per week.

This week we have:

Fantasy author P.G. Holyfield

Talking Incarnation of the gods.

When Melissa asked me to write about mythology that has has influenced my writing, I
had first thought to write about Hindu myths, and specifically about The Mahabharata,
since it has influenced much of my setting’s cosmology, but I then saw that Joseph
Robert Lewis had already written an article on that grand poem. So I decided to focus
on The Trickster, as I have my own Trickster in The Land of Caern that goes by the
name of Doppin. But then I read Alma Alexandra’s post on The Coyote, and I didn’t
want to directly cover very similar material.

So I decided to come at this from a slightly different direction.

One of the great things about fantasy novels is that myths become real. But it’s more
than that. It’s easy to look at urban fantasy with its werewolves and vampires and
assorted casts of characters and enjoy it on the level of ‘look at those things not real in
the real world.’ But that’s just looking at it through our modern lens. While the term
“myth” today is usually seen in the pejorative, as a misconception, or even as a lie
(“Who, Santa? Oh, he’s just a myth.” Side note: Don’t worry, I know he’s real), myth
hasn’t always had that negative connotation.

Myth is the story of the sacred.

The reason I fell in love with mythology, and especially Hindu mythology, was that it was
real. Not in the sense that everyone truly believed all the fantastical allegories, stories,
legends, and narratives that make up the Hindu mythos (though I’m sure many have
and do). What I’m talking about is how these narratives are ingrained in people’s lives.

When I first learned about mythology as a kid, mainly Greek and Roman, like most kids,
I appreciated them as stories that explained the unexplainable. How did we come to be?
How does lightning exist? Why are there seasons? But when I studied comparative
religion in college, and learned more about Hindu mythology, a new world opened up to
me. With Hindu tradition, oral and written stories from over thousands of years, it
became obvious that these narratives were more of an explanation of why we are here,
and how we as humans are a vital component of the spiritual nature of the universe.

And the most important aspect of this that I hope is carried over into my writing: that the
spiritual aspects of life, including the very presence of the gods, exists in the reality of
human history, down to the day to day events of both kings and men.

There are countless stories of Hindu gods living as men, both in the open and hidden
from view. There are stories of gods that don’t even realize they are gods until
something happens that shows them their true nature. There are stories of the
fantastical, where gods take the forms of animals, giants, or dwarfs, and stories where
the gods fight alongside humans against demons, and stories of the mundane where
gods take the form of a homeless man sitting under a tree.

The idea of reincarnation and avatars (not the science fiction movie, but the
appearance, or more importantly, the deliberate descent of a deity to Earth) became a foundation of my setting’s cosmology. Also, in Hinduism, as in many other systems,
there is balance in our universe tied to three specific (or spread over many) entities: The
Creator, the Protector, and the Destroyer. As with the idea of personal or deific
reincarnation, there is the idea of the universe being cyclic in nature, and these three
entities ensure that the universe is created, exists, and is destroyed (don’t worry…
renewed would be the better term here). I included these ideas in my setting as well.

Where the Land of Caern diverges from these core ideas is around knowledge, or more
specifically, knowing. In my universe, the Creator, known as Az, has a moment of…
weakness?

The one god, Az, thought upon his existence and this thought created the universe.

He breathed, and this breath created Caern.

He spoke, and these words created all life on Caern.

He looked over his creation, and this glance created the river of magic that flows
throughout Caern.

And He so loved Caern that he cried; from these tears his Children were born.

These Children represent different aspects of Az: creation, protection, destruction,
nature, magic, love, etc. During Caern’s early history, The Children could enter Caern
on a whim, powerful immortal beings who could wield powerful magics and easily bend
the will of both man and beast. Sometimes they would appear to influence history. Other
times they would enter the world to settle a bet or an argument between one another, or
to punish a king or a nation… or simply because one or more were bored and wanted to
play with their Father’s favorite world…

Eventually, these appearances caused permanent and irreversible changes to the
world. Progeny of the Children would inherit powers from their mother or father, which is
how magic entered the world. The Children could take on the form of any being or
beast, which is how monsters such as werewolves and vampires began to be seen. And
battles between these Children began to tear holes in the fabric between Caern and
other worlds, which is how demons and other creatures began to enter the world.

In order to prevent the destruction of Caern, Az placed constraints on his Children. From
that point forward, if a Child of Az wanted to enter Caern, he or she had to be born as a
mortal, with no knowledge of their true nature. An avatar of one of the Children could
live a full life and die without ever realizing who he or she is. Or at some point, if
warranted, an avatar would receive an epiphany and learn who they were, and receive
some amount of their power… but they would remain very, very mortal.

Throughout history, different peoples and races have countless stories of incarnations of
the Children. Religions and nations have risen and fallen around these incarnations (or
the misguided belief in someone claiming to be one of the Children). There are religious
sects dedicated to finding these avatars and either controlling them or destroying them
before they discover their true nature.

Doppin, the Child of Trickery, is the only Child that has found a way around some of the Constraints. He (or she, depending on his/her mood) has knowledge of his true nature
from the moment of birth. One of Doppin’s greatest joys is to attach himself to an
incarnation of one of these “unknowing’ avatars, and when it is certain to cause the
most chaos, trigger the epiphany of that Child of Az. And because of his appetites, his
zest for life, and his desire to control his own destiny, Doppin is more human than any
immortal, and as such is more of a cultural hero than any of the other Children.

In my first novel, I introduced the world and focused on some of the repercussions of
these incarnations of the gods. In the sequel I’m working on now, I focus on the avatars
of one or more of the Children, and how events and characters from a particular event
in history are causing events to play out in the present. In 2009, several authors (at
least one of whom has written articles here) wrote short stories about incarnations of the
Children I released as an audio anthology called Tales of the Children.

And as I stated early on, what is most important to me and my writing is the idea that
gods and men, the immortal and the mortal, the spiritual and the mundane, aren’t
separated. Myths are the narrative of the sacred, and in my world, every story is a part of
that narrative. It’s not a question of do you believe in god? It’s how many gods have
touched my life?

And the old man sitting over there underneath the tree? Is it just a man, trying to make
his way? Or is it Doppin… or another Child that may not have unlocked their true
nature?

And you? If you lived in a world where there is a chance that you are the incarnation of
a god… would it affect how you live your life?

Author Bio:
P.G. Holyfield grew up in the grand state of Virginia. While attending the University of Virginia, P.G. majored in Religious Studies, focusing on the belief systems and myths of the Eastern world. His love for mythology led to the creation of his fantasy setting called The Land of Caern.

A gamer for most of his life, P.G. has spent almost twenty years creating content for The Land of Caern. After finishing the first draft of Murder at Avedon Hill, P.G. produced the audio version of the novel as a podcast. Two years later, with over half a million audio episodes downloaded, Murder at Avedon Hill was brought to print by Dragon Moon Press.

Murder at Avedon Hill won the John W. Polidori Award for Best Vampire Novel of 2010.

Murder at Avedon Hill was a finalist for Best Fantasy Novel at the 2010 Foreword Book of the Year Awards.

P.G. continues to produce audio and video content, hosting three podcasts for his website, specficmedia.com: the award nominated "Beyond the Wall" GoT podcast, "SpecFicMedia.com Presents: Consumption," and a new show called "SpecFicMedia.com Presents: Tintin Forever."

Sadly, P.G. lost his way and now resides in the one state he never anticipated falling in love with... North Carolina.

Sunday, March 23, 2014

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer ~ It's a chance to share news ~ A post to recap the past week on your blog, showcase books and things we have received and share new about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead.

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This is going to be a quick post as not much has happened this week.

It seems Saturday and Sunday are my catch up on sleep days. Maybe because I didn't get to go hibernate as my body wanted too for winter? Who knows. But haven't got much accomplished this weekend. I really hate when that happens.

Not much is happening around here during the week either. I'm moving slow, which seems the norm lately.

Podcasting for Dummies by Tee Morris, Chuck Tomasi, & Evo TerraGoodreads Synopsis:Podcasting is like blogging out loud It gives you a voice--one that can be heard worldwide on computers, iPods, or other MP3 players. You can podcast to boost your business, promote your passion, share your opinions, or just have fun. The point is to say what you want to say to those who want to hear it. With step-by-step explanations, screen shots, and tons of examples, this guide clues you in on recording, producing, and hosting your very own podcast with info on: Finding your voice and your niche, whether you want to talk tech, make your own kinds of music, educate listeners, make people laugh, do soundseeing tours, serialize your novel, or invent a new podcasting genre Getting the bare necessities (if you don't already have them), including a microphone, recording software, and an audio cardAudio editing software such as Audacity, Cakewalk for PCs, GarageBand for musicality, and Audio HiJack Pro for MacsRecording, including understanding dB (decibel levels), capturing or minimizing ambient noise, and moreEditing with GarageBand or Audacity, adding bed music, and including intros and outros for a signature finishing touchYou want your podcast to be heard. "Podcasting For Dummies" helps you launch and promote it with info on how to: Downsize your audio files with MP3 compressionChange bit rates and sample rates in Audacity and iTunesCreate and edit your ID3 tags in Audacity or iTunesPost your show notes using Movable Type or LibsynSimplify the RSS 2.0 feed by using blogging software or a podcast-hosting company such as Audioblog.com, Podcastamatic, and FeederPing for publicityCommunicate with your listeners on your blog, through online discussion groups such as Yahoo Groups or Google Groups, or on online forums

Of course, if you want to be a podcatcher (a listener) and subscribe to podcasts, this guide shows you how to do that, too Complete with a companion podcast--a free weekly audio commentary that will keep you up to speed on the podsphere--this guide helps you get your message heard, loud and clear.

Free Ebooks:

Keeping it Close by Stacia Kane
A free short story set in the Downside world found on Stacia's blog. I so need to get back to this series!

Better off Dead by H.P. MalloryGoodreads Synopsis:If there's such a thing as luck, Lily Harper definitely doesn't have it. Killed in a car accident before it's her time to go, Lily learns that the hereafter isn't exactly what she hoped it might be. First, there's AfterLife Enterprises, the company responsible for sorting out the recently dead and sending them on their way to the Kingdom, (aka happily ever after, ) or to the Underground City, (not so happily ever after.) Learning that Lily's death was indirectly their fault (her guardian angel, Bill, was MIA during her accident and was one of their employees, ) Afterlife Enterprises offers Lily the chance to live again. But, as with most things involving the afterlife, beware the fine print. Most notably, Lily will have to become a soul retriever, venturing into the bowels of the Underground City to retrieve souls that were mistakenly sent there by Afterlife Enterprises during a Y2K computer glitch. Second, there's angel Bill. As if risking her second life in the Underground City wasn't enough, Lily's guide to the Underground is none other than her incompetent, alcoholic, womanizing guardian angel, Bill, the antithesis of anything wholesome. With only Dante's Inferno and Bill to help her in her quest, Lily's future isn't looking bright. Finally, there's the legendary bladesmith, Tallis Black. As Scottish as his kilts and heavy brogue, Tallis Black is a centuries-old Celt who, for reasons only known to him, offers to train Lily and act as her escort into the depths of the Underground City. Dark, brooding and definitely dangerous, Lily knows she shouldn't trust Tallis, but she also can't deny her attraction to him. Between soul retrieving in hell, dealing with Bill and trying to figure out what's in it for Tallis, Lily wonders if maybe she would've just been better off dead.

Free Audio Books/Stories:

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Reviews to Come:

Quarter Share by Nathan Lowell - a podcast reading of the book

Half Share by Nathan Lowell - a podcast reading of the book

Full Share by Nathan Lowell - a podcast reading of the bookDouble Share by Nathan Lowell - a podcast reading of the book

Captain's Share by Nathan Lowell - a podcast reading of the book

Owners Share by Nathan Lowell - a podcast reading of the book

Ravenwood by Nathan Lowell - a podcast reading of the book

Working for the Devil by Lilith SaintcrowMarco and The Red Granny by Mur Lafferty (in audiobook while at work)

Heaven by Mur Lafferty (in audiobook while at work)

Hell by Mur Lafferty (in audiobook while at work)Earth by Mur Lafferty (in audiobook while at work)Wasteland by Mur Lafferty (in audiobook while at work)

War by Mur Lafferty (in audiobook while at work)

Earth Girls Are Difficult by Frances Pauli (in audiobook while at work)

Tales of the Children by P.G. Holyfield (in audiobook while at work) An Anthology collection in the setting of Land of Caern.

The Secret World Chronicle: Invasion by Mercedes Lackey & Steve Libbey (in audiobook while at work)

The Secret World Chronicle: The Hunt by Mercedes Lackey & Steve Libbey (in audiobook while at work)

Top 5 Reads:

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About Me:

I'm happily married with a son, working through the day undercover as a book keeper in the mundane paper shuffling. But by night I enjoy journeying through fantasy worlds created by others and of my own. I read Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Dystopian, some Science Fiction, Paranormal and all in YA as well.

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Quotes from Books, which caught my eye...

"It's always Ragnarok. Regular mortals have the power to blow the world sky-high and all the major supernatural factions can do the same. The thing is, though, as long as people want to live then you're going to have people stepping in the way of those who want to do something to blow us up. That's the only way you can endure it."Ben Talbot, By C.T. Phipps in Esoterrorism

"Be that as it may, we were--and no doubt, still are--held under scrutiny, with that whole Phoenix Society brouhaha. It is imperative we remain on our best behaviour, a feat that you did not exactly manage effortlessly with your shenanigans in Edinburgh." Wellington Books, By Pip Ballantine and Tee Morris in The Jaus Affair

"Remember this always: the fly, even in paradise, must always exist on shit."By Frances Pauli from The Fly in Paradise

"'In hundreds of years,' she continued, voice darker and sober now, 'I've only let myself love two people. You don't have that kind of time, though. You're mortal. You don't get to make a lot of mistakes before you kick it and if you wait, you get screwed over.'"By Skyla Dawn Cameron from Hunter

"...But I don't want you to be afraid to take risks. If it's worth it...If the person in his eyes is the person you want to be, the person you know you could be...then don't be scared..."By Nicole Peeler from Tracking the Tempest

"We are what we choose to be, girl," she said. "Let others determine your worth, and you've already lost, because no one wants people worth more than themselves..."By Peter V. Brett from The Warded Man.

"There are no honorable causes. There is no good or evil. Evil is only what we call those who oppose us."By Michael J. Sullivan from Nyphron Rising.

"That we are both right. One truth doesn't refute another. Truth doesn't lie in the object, but in how we see it."By Michael J. Sullivan from Nyphron Rising..

"Death is real, irreversible, and awful. Do you want some advice? Don't wait until you're dead to try to communicate. Do it now. You still have a chance. Not a great one, but a better one than you will have. If you think it's hard to get your point across now, and that no one really understands what you're about, just try it when you're dead." By Alexander Jablokov from Brain Thief.

"I wasn't running now so much as stumbling quickly, panting like a geriatric lion." By Nicole Peeler from Tempest Rising.

"Watch for the ones who leave your mouth hanging open. Study them, find out what they love and what they fear. Dig the treasure out of their soul and hold it to the light." He leaned in even closer now, so that Neb could smell the wine on his breath. "Then Be like them."By Ken Scholes from Lemantation.

The truth, the Seventeenth Gospel said, is a seed planted in a field of stones beneath a stone and guarded by snakes. To have at it, be strong enough to move the stone, patient enough to dig the hole and fast enough to dodge the viper's fang.By Ken Scholes from Lamentation.

I took a deep breath, "I took the nahlrout because I didn't want to faint. I needed to let them know they couldn't hurt me. I've learned that the best way to stay safe is to make your enemies think you can't be hurt." It sounded ugly to say it so starkly, but it was the truth. I looked at him defiantly.By Patrick Rothfuss from The Name of the Wind.

"We can be strong in the face of kings and priest, my lady," Ashe replied, "but to live is to have worries and uncertainties. Keep them inside, and they will destroy you for certain-leaving behind a person so callused that emotion can find no root in his heart."By Brandon Sanderson from Elantris.